Sample Independent Contractor Agreement

This Agreement is made between ____________________ ("Client") with a principal place of business at __________________ and _______________ ("Contractor"), with a principal place of business at ____________________________.

Contractor agrees to perform the following services: _____________

OR

Contractor agrees to perform the services described in Exhibit A, which is attached to this Agreement.

In consideration for the services to be performed by Contractor, Client agrees to pay Contractor at the following rates: ____________________________.

Contractor shall be paid within a reasonable time after Contractor submits an invoice to Client. The invoice should include the following: an invoice number, the dates covered by the invoice, and a summary of the work performed.
3. Expenses

Contractor shall be responsible for all expenses incurred while performing services under this Agreement. This includes automobile, truck, and other travel expenses; vehicle maintenance and repair costs; vehicle and other license fees and permits; insurance premiums; road, fuel, and other taxes; fines; radio, pager, or cell phone expenses; meals; and all salary, expenses, and other compensation paid to employees or contract personnel the Contractor hires to complete the work under this Agreement.

OR

Client shall reimburse Contractor for the following expenses that are attributable directly to work performed under this Agreement: _________________.

Contractor will furnish all vehicles, equipment, tools, and materials used to provide the services required by this Agreement. Client will not require Contractor to rent or purchase any equipment, product, or service as a condition of entering into this Agreement.

Contractor is an independent contractor, and neither Contractor nor Contractor's employees or contract personnel are, or shall be deemed, Client's employees. In its capacity as an independent contractor, Contractor agrees and represents, and Client agrees, as follows

[Check all that apply]

[ ] Contractor has the right to perform services for others during the term of this Agreement.

[ ] Contractor has the sole right to control and direct the means, manner, and method by which the services required by this Agreement will be performed. Contractor shall select the routes taken, starting and quitting times, days of work, and order the work is performed.

[ ] Contractor has the right to hire assistants as subcontractors or to use employees to provide the services required by this Agreement.

[ ] Neither Contractor nor Contractor's employees or contract personnel shall be required to wear any uniforms provided by Client.

[ ] The services required by this Agreement shall be performed by Contractor, Contractor's employees, or contract personnel, and Client shall not hire, supervise, or pay any assistants to help Contractor.

[ ] Neither Contractor nor Contractor's employees or contract personnel shall receive any training from Client in the professional skills necessary to perform the services required by this Agreement.

[ ] Neither Contractor nor Contractor's employees or contract personnel shall be required by Client to devote full time to the performance of the services required by this Agreement.

Contractor represents and warrants that Contractor and Contractor's employees and contract personnel will comply with all federal, state, and local laws requiring drivers and other licenses, business permits, and certificates required to carry out the services to be performed under this Agreement.

Client will not:

• withhold FICA (Social Security and Medicare taxes) from Contractor's payments or make FICA payments on Contractor's behalf

• make state or federal unemployment compensation contributions on Contractor's behalf, or

• withhold state or federal income tax from Contractor's payments.

Contractor shall pay all taxes incurred while performing services under this Agreement—including all applicable income taxes and, if Contractor is not a corporation, self-employment (Social Security) taxes. Upon demand, Contractor shall provide Client with proof that such payments have been made.

Contractor understands that neither Contractor nor Contractor's employees or contract personnel are eligible to participate in any employee pension, health, vacation pay, sick pay, or other fringe benefit plan of Client.

Client shall make no state or federal unemployment compensation payments on behalf of Contractor or Contractor's employees or contract personnel. Contractor will not be entitled to these benefits in connection with work performed under this Agreement.

Client shall not obtain workers' compensation insurance on behalf of Contractor or Contractor's employees. If Contractor hires employees to perform any work under this Agreement, Contractor will cover them with workers' compensation insurance to the extent required by law and provide Client with a certificate of workers' compensation insurance before the employees begin the work.

Client shall not provide insurance coverage of any kind for Contractor or Contractor's employees or contract personnel. Contractor shall obtain the following insurance coverage and maintain it during the entire term of this Agreement:

[Check all that apply.]

[ ] Automobile liability insurance for each vehicle used in the performance of this Agreement -- including owned, non-owned (for example, owned by Contractor's employees), leased, or hired vehicles -- in the minimum amount of $_____ combined single limit per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage.

[ ] Comprehensive or commercial general liability insurance coverage in the minimum amount of $______ combined single limit, including coverage for bodily injury, personal injury, broad form property damage, contractual liability, and cross-liability.

Before commencing any work, Contractor shall provide Client with proof of this insurance and with proof that Client has been made an additional insured under the policies.

Contractor shall indemnify and hold Client harmless from any loss or liability arising from performing services under this Agreement.

This agreement will become effective when signed by both parties and will terminate on the earlier of:

• the date Contractor completes the services required by this Agreement

• ____________ [date], or

• the date a party terminates the Agreement as provided below.
14. Terminating the Agreement

With reasonable cause, either Client or Contractor may terminate this Agreement, effective immediately upon giving written notice.

Reasonable cause includes:

• a material violation of this Agreement, or

• any act exposing the other party to liability to others for personal injury or property damage.

OR

Either party may terminate this Agreement at any time by giving ____ days' written notice to the other party of the intent to terminate.

This is the entire Agreement between Contractor and Client.

This Agreement may be modified only by a writing signed by both parties.

If a dispute arises under this Agreement, any party may take the matter to California state court, jurisdiction of the county of Alameda.

OR

If a dispute arises under this Agreement, the parties agree to first try to resolve the dispute with the help of a mutually agreed-upon mediator in Alameda County, CA. Any costs and fees other than attorney fees associated with the mediation shall be shared equally by the parties. If it proves impossible to arrive at a mutually satisfactory solution through mediation, the parties agree to submit the dispute to a mutually agreed-upon arbitrator in Alameda County, CA. Judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction to do so. Costs of arbitration, including attorney fees, will be allocated by the arbitrator.

Contractor acknowledges that it will be necessary for Client to disclose certain confidential and proprietary information to Contractor in order for Contractor to perform duties under this Agreement. Contractor acknowledges that disclosure to a third party or misuse of this proprietary or confidential information would irreparably harm Client. Accordingly, Contractor will not disclose or use, either during or after the term of this Agreement, any proprietary or confidential information of Client without Client's prior written permission except to the extent necessary to perform services on Client's behalf.

Proprietary or confidential information includes:

• the written, printed, graphic, or electronically recorded materials furnished by Client for Contractor to use

• any written or tangible information stamped “confidential,” “proprietary,” or with a similar legend, or any information that Client makes reasonable efforts to maintain the secrecy of

• business or marketing plans or strategies, customer lists, operating procedures, trade secrets, design formulas, know-how and processes, computer programs and inventories, discoveries, and improvements of any kind, sales projections, and pricing information

• information belonging to customers and suppliers of Client about whom Contractor gained knowledge as a result of Contractor's services to Client, and

• other: _____________________.

Upon termination of Contractor's services to Client, or at Client's request, Contractor shall deliver to Client all materials in Contractor's possession relating to Client's business.

Contractor acknowledges that any breach or threatened breach of Clause 18 of this Agreement will result in irreparable harm to Client for which damages would be an inadequate remedy. Therefore, Client shall be entitled to equitable relief, including an injunction, in the event of such breach or threatened breach of Clause 18 of this Agreement. Such equitable relief shall be in addition to Client's rights and remedies otherwise available at law.

This Agreement does not create a partnership relationship. Contractor does not have authority to enter into contracts on Client's behalf.

Either Contractor or Client may assign rights and may delegate duties under this Agreement.

OR

Contractor may not assign or subcontract any rights or delegate any of its duties under this Agreement without Client's prior written approval.

This Agreement will be governed by California law, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles.

Printed Name

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Signature

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Date

Printed Name

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Signature

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Date

Taxpayer ID Number